Acts 10:34, 37-43 / Colossians 3:1-4 / John 20:1-9
One year ago, and that is not that long ago, we may remember what Easter was like, or how we celebrated Easter.
But if we can't remember what Easter was like or how it was celebrated last year, it is not because our memory has failed us.
Because last year, Easter came and went with churches closed and all religious activities were suspended.
So, if we had no recollection of what Easter was like last year, it was because we didn't come to church at all; we couldn't come to church at all.
And if we went online last year for the Easter Vigil Mass at the Cathedral, we will remember seeing the Archbishop with just one server walking into an empty Cathedral. That scene reflected the reality of the situation last year.
Well, for this year, the situation is slightly lighter and brighter. We can come for Mass, although the numbers are still restricted. And there are several other things that we still can't do.
Nonetheless, and over and above everything else, we want to give thanks to God for the reopening of churches and the resumption of religious activities.
Oh yes, we rejoice that we can come to Church for Mass and for the celebration of Easter.
The imagery of the stone being rolled away and the empty tomb is an image that we will remember for this Easter.
Yes, the stone is rolled away, Christ is risen, and He wants to lift us up and to rise with Him in victory over sin and death.
And with that, the stones covering the entrances of the churches are also rolled away so that the voices of prayer can be heard again with acclamations of “Alleluia!”.
But we also must be aware that the stone can also roll back and cover the entrances of churches, if we are complacent and not compliant to the essential safety measures.
But more than just complacency, we must also be conscious of those stones that are blocking the entrances of our hearts.
The Risen Christ wants to roll away the stones of our hearts so that the light of His Resurrection can shine into our hearts and to scatter the darkness of sin and fear.
Those stones must be rolled away so that the blood and water from His pierced side can flow into our hearts and renew our faith, strengthen our hope and deepen our love.
And that is why Easter is the time when we renew our Baptismal Promises, which is essentially to renounce sin and to be faithful to God.
And after that we are sprinkled with Holy Water as a reminder of our Baptism in Christ.
That brings us to a reflection of stone and water. In the encounter between flowing water and stones, the water always win, not by strength or by force, but by persistence and perseverance.
And as the waters flow, the stones are smoothened and even polished, so much so, we can say that the waters have made the stones beautiful.
Even if it is just dripping water, it will wear out the stone, and again, not by strength or by force, but by persistence and perseverance.
The Book of Proverbs 21:1 has this line: The heart of the king is in the hands of the Lord. As the waters of the river, the Lord turns it wherever He wishes.
So, may the waters that will be blessed and given out during this Easter celebration, soften our hearts and make it like living waters in the hands of the Risen Lord, so that we will always flow with the will of God.
May these waters that remind us of our Baptism, also roll away the stones that are blocking our hearts, so that we will come out of the darkness of sin and fear, and rise in love and holiness with the Risen Lord Jesus.